Reps election: Hon. Ajayi floors Oduoye at Appeal Court

It was a moment of joy on Monday for the Chairman of the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi, representing Boripe, Ifelodun and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency as he floored his main rival, Kayode Oduoye of the Peoples Democratic Party, at the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State.

The Court of Appeal in its Judgment unanimously affirmed the victory of Ajayi and dismissed all the grounds of appeal filed by Oduoye.

In his remarks after the Judgment, Ajayi described the appellate court’s ruling as “an affirmation of the rule of Law and democracy,” adding that the ruling is “a victory for the party and the people of my constituency whose mandate freely given at the last election was challenged by the PDP and its Candidate. The confidence reposed in our party focus and direction has finally been given Judicial approval.”

He reassured the people of his constituency of his genuine commitment to their wellbeing and overall development of the area, noting: “I have never been more hopeful of a better Nigeria than now, and with your support for our party at all levels Nigeria will surely get back on track.”

Ajayi called on his challenger, having exhausted all legal avenues open to him under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to work with him.

He said: “As his representative I enjoin him to bring his ideas for the development of our constituency to the table for consideration and action.”

It would be recalled that shortly after the National Assembly election in March 2015, the Peoples Democratic Party’s House of Representative candidate went to court to contest Ajayi’s victory at the election petition tribunal in Osogbo.

The tribunal dismissed Oduoye’s petitions and upheld the All Progressives Congress’s candidate’s victory with costs awarded against the petitioner.

Dissatisfied with the tribunal ruling, the PDP candidate headed to the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure to challenge the tribunal’s pronouncements.